This is indeed a monumental step as e-passports will be equipped with new features that can enhance security and ensure transparency. The use of fraudulent documents is commonplace in Pakistan, which can be countered with the use of biometric information to link individuals to their passports. It will help reduce identity fraud and can be used at border control as well. The microchip in the passport will help retrieve passengers’ data and verify their images, which will also simplify the process of passport renewal.use of technology has eased people’s lives and curbed corruption.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of e-passport, the prime minister said 22 years ago, Shaukat Khanum Hospital introduced paperless working, which made a huge difference by doing away with petty corruption and bringing about transparency.
Appreciating the interior ministry and the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), he said the e-passport would not only help end queues at the airports but also ensure security.
It would also help promote tourism, which, besides remittances, was the other solution to bridge the trade gap, he added.
PM Khan said the construction of Skardu airport would enable tourists to land directly in Skardu instead of waiting for days for flights in Islamabad.
“We never declared tourism as an industry. There should be resorts and other attractions to make tourists spend money here,” he said.
Mr Khan said the road contracts involved huge corruption, adding that as per estimates, Rs1,000 billion was siphoned off from road projects.
The prime minister lauded the overseas Pakistanis for supporting the national economy through their record $31 billion remittances amidst skyrocketing oil prices. He said expatriates deserved to be given maximum facilitation at airports and other departments.
He said drone surveillance had been started which also helped foil terrorist attacks.
Moreover, he said, a service of passport issuance within 24 hours had been launched and the validity period of the document had been enhanced from five to 10 years with no additional charges.Speaking on the occasion, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said online visa had been introduced across 191 countries and that the online issuance of succession certificate by Nadra had made the lives of overseas Pakistanis easier.
He said a forensic laboratory was under construction and Nadra offices had been opened at tehsil level.
Director General of Immigration and Passports Islam Zeb said with 29 forensic security features, e-passport was compliant with the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
This is a good way to test and root out any issues in the systems. Also, the e-passports should be priced reasonably so that a maximum number of people can acquire them. Successful integration of e-passports into the mainstream system will help Pakistan transition towards digitalisation and bring the country on a par with other developed and technologically advanced countries.
The prime minister lauded the overseas Pakistanis for supporting the national economy through their record $31 billion remittances amidst skyrocketing oil prices.
